There were U23Bs and B23-7s in SoCal in the 1980s, and 8-44Bs and 8-44BWs on locals later, too. I worked next to the former Pasadena Sub near Irwindale in the mid-1980s and got to see the Irwindale almost every day at lunch. It mostly had GP20s, 30s, and 35s, but now and then a GE.

Get the job done, boys!

I went down to Malabar Yard and the LAJ this morning -- good choice, since it's a Saturday, and I didn't get blown away by a million semis. Was able to get some shots I'd never been able to get before on Vernon Ave.

Gensets at Malabar Yard:[attachment=11429]
Wig-wag at Malabar Yard:[attachment=11428]
Relay case for highway crossing and battery box at Malabar Yard:[attachment=11427]
Details where the LAJ crosses the UP at Vernon Avenue:[attachment=11426]
Dwarf signal where industrial spur meets UP:[attachment=11425]

Very nice photos. Brings memories back....
I have a problem with the BNSF paint scheme. It looks good at the prototype and it looks good at the large engines on models but I do not like it on smaller model engines. The Trainman 39-2 and Genset look strange in orange to me. I like to stay with yellow/blue.

Do all crossings have a relay case and batterie boxes? It is standard to have batterie backup at such installations and the batteries in a separate case? That is a nice detail to model.

In general, you have to look for some kind of electric power for any sort of lighted signal, whether a block/CTC signal or a crossing flasher or wigwag. In some cases the battery is just backup, but in other cases, it's all the power that's available. Same for relays, and exactly where they go will vary, but on older style crossings the Details West two-door relay case is very, very common, as well as the large-style battery box. Some more recent installations just rely on commercial power. Here's a CTC relay case on BNSF that has a commercial electric meter:[attachment=11431]And here's a newer-style relay case for a highway crossing (Napa Valley RR), and you can also see the electric meter for commercial power. The meter might actually be a good touch on a more modern installation, and I think you could justify both types on your layout. The newer cases are very similar to BLMA.
[attachment=11430]

Another oldies couple on duty. The right one has not been modified for BNSF and is still original Santa Fe.

faraway Wrote:It was a surprise to me when I saw the a GP60M pair running locals and switching industry over in the west coast forum (great photo at MALABAR with the unique shoving platform). There are some GP60M but standard cab GP60 are todays common switchers. BNSF is pushing down everything to locals and industry serving as they get bigger engines for the top road services. Only few Gensets in SoCal. They have more GenSets in Texas.

However, I do not use that long pairs to serve my industry. They feed the yard (2 * 2 GP35u, 2 GP38, 2 GP60M) and a single GP30 is the local switcher serving the industry. It is a system with some similarities to the LAJ.

Reinhard, I think the reason that you will see so many standard cab Gp60's in local service is that the Santa Fe roiginally bought as many if not more of the Gp60b's than the wide cab 60a's as well as having quite a few Gp60's with standard cabs in Blue and Yellow before they bought the red & silver 60m's. Now that the 60's are being replaced by larger GE C's & EMD Sds, they have a bunch of 60bs that are of no use without cabs. The solution is to have reconditioned used cabs installed on the b-units for local service, so they are into a large retrofit program to convert Gp60bs into standard cab Gp60 what ever the new designation is.

Russ Bellinis Wrote:... I think the reason that you will see so many standard cab Gp60's in local service is ...

I hope standard cab GP60 will fit on my layout. A pair of P2K GP60 has been ordered from Trainworld and arrived tonight 2am at Leipzig customs. No further processing so far but I still hope to get them today.

If two gensets will fit on your layout, two GP60s definitely will. (By the way, out of curiosity, I checked the other day to see if gensets will go around 15-inch curves. Yup, they do just fine. Hmm.)

jwb Wrote:If two gensets will fit on your layout, two GP60s definitely will. (By the way, out of curiosity, I checked the other day to see if gensets will go around 15-inch curves. Yup, they do just fine. Hmm.)

Well, the GP60 will run around the curves for sure. I have the Athearn GP60M on Atlas GP40 drives. I expect the P2K GP60 in the same ballpark and have an optical impression much shorter than a pair of Gensets. Much more like the Trainman GP39-2 I prepared yesterday.

The P2K GP60 did not arrive today. Customs at Leipzig was so slow that the parcel missed the cargo plane to Stuttgart. It arrived 2 am and was cleared 5:30 am. Too late for the early morning plane. Tomorrow is a public holiday... will have to wait until Friday. Thank you Leipzig :evil:

I cut back some of the pavement and let the natural ground grow. That fits the current style of a more dual area better and the buildings are on/in the ground and do not hoover over the ground.

The tank car unloading facility has been moved to the left of the old ramp without any impact on the operation. However, that part is still under construction.
The white sheet of styrene at the backdrop will be removed when the glue has set and some details will be added.


The old status.

If your layout> "chameleon-layout"? because it either way.

The P2K BNSF GP60 switchers arrived today. Needed some break in but are running fine now. The details are very nice. The front light is in the nose (I am glad not have drill a hole in the nose!), AC and antennas for cab roof mounting came with a small tool for correct positioning.
I am very satisfied and Trainworld had a fair price!

Small quirks are
- Ditch lights missing (will add them tomorrow from on stock details parts)
- Handrails at the steps had to be painted white
- Front bulb in the cab illuminates the cab but not really the lens in the nose. I put a 16V bulb directly in the nose behind the lens.

More utility poles, street lights, traffic signs![attachment=11499]Smokestacks, water tanks![attachment=11498]

jwb Wrote:More utility poles, street lights, traffic signs!...Smokestacks, water tanks![attachment=0]IMGP3621.JPG.....

The forrest of utility poles in the US is always amazing for visitors of your country. The industry scene at the west side of the Malabar yard is impressive. I did think about using it as a background industry. I tried to do your photo too but at the late afternoon was the sun in the west and the photo was ruined